Newly published research from Healio has shown Google searches about suncare for skin of colour are on the rise, such as ‘sunscreen for Black skin’, searches for which increased 18-fold from 2008 to 2020.
The search term ‘sunscreen for dark skin’ also increased by nearly 4,000% from 2006 to 2020. Other searches like ‘best mineral sunscreen for dark skin’, ‘best sunscreen for Black skin’ and ‘Black girl sunscreen’ have also seen search increases of up to 5,000% since 2004.
The greatest uptake in searches occurred in 2016, perhaps reflecting the rise of social media and more widespread awareness about skin health.
Aesthetic practitioner and president of BCAM Dr Catherine Fairris has noticed interest rising too, saying, “The increased interest in sunscreen in skin of colour shouldn’t come as a surprise. People with skin of colour should be wearing sun protection as diligently as people with Caucasian skin. Although melanin offers a small amount of sun protection, the relative amount is minimal, so broad spectrum SPF is still indicated in skin of colour. This is a fact that is now more widely accepted and better understood.”
She continues, “Social media has also played a significant role in this, with many black and brown beauty influencers sharing their knowledge with their followers. The difficulty is that many sunscreens leave a caste on darker skin tones and, as such, only certain brands are accessible to skin of colour.”
